Halogenated alkoxy esters and their preparation



United States Patent Oflice 3,393,228 Patented July 16, 1968 3,393,228 HALOGENATED ALKOXY ESTERS AND THEIR PREPARATION Robert A. Braun, Newark, DeL, assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., :1 corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Mar. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 439,464 6 Claims. (Cl. 260484) 10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Fluoro ester compounds of the formula 0 X RO( i-d0R Where X and Y can be perfluoroalkyl radicals of 1 through 5 carbon atoms, and R can be an alkyl radical of 1 through 12 carbon atoms, and a process for making same. These compounds are useful as hydraulic fluids, low temperature lubricants, heat transfer fluids, and as buoyancyv and damping fluids.

This invention relates to novel fiuoro esters. It is more particularly directed to fiuoro esters of the formula where X and Y can be perfluoroalkyl radicals of 1 through 5 carbon atoms, -CFC1 radicals or CF Cl radicals; and

R can be an alkyl radical of 1 through 12 carbon atoms or an alkyl radical of 1 through 12 carbon atoms substituted with CH=CH or CF *The ketone reactants are either available commercially or can be made according to procedures shown in U.S.P. 2.853.524. Those orthoformate reactants which are unavailable commercially can be made by the trans o1'tho-esterifi c ation reaction described in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 77, 3801 (190a) and Ber. 91, 650 (1958).

where R, X and Y are defined as in Formula 1.

Two or more moles of the ketone reactant and one mole of the orthoformate reactant are mixed and placed in a bomb. Because the ketone reactants are liquid, no solvent is ordinarily required for the reaction. Such solvents as benzene and aliphatic hydrocarbons can be used if careful temperature control is required.

The bomb is then heated at l250 C. for about six to twenty hours. The resulting liquid is fractionally distilled. The unreacted orthoformate and ketone come off as vapors, leaving behind a residue of a substantially pure compound according to Formula 1. This product can be further purified by another fractional distillation at reduced pressure.

The invention will be more easily understood and readily practiced by referring to the following examples. These examples are intended to be illustrative, and show only representative embodiments of the invention. Those compounds not specifically disclosed can be made by similar methods, varying significantly only in the reactants. In the examples, all parts are by weight.

Example 1 A mixture of 129.0 parts (0.6 mole) of 1,1,3-trichloro trifiuoroacetone and 44.4 parts (0.3 mole) of triethylorthoformate was heated in a bomb at C. for six hours.

The resulting material was fractionated on a spinning band column to give 92 parts of unreacted ketone, 22.8 parts of unreacted triethylorthoformate, and 23 parts of a substantially pure compound having the formula This compound was a colorless, water-like liquid having a boiling point of 85 C. at 5 mm. of pressure.

Analysis.Calcd.: C, 30.3; H, 3.2; Ci, 33.5; F, 17.9. Found: C, 29.7; H, 3.3; Cl, 34.1; F, 17.3.

Example 2 A mixture of 129 parts (0.6 mole) of 1,1,3-trichloro trifiuoroketone and 31.8 parts (0.3 mole) of trimethylorthoformate was placed in a bomb and heated at 175 C. for eight hours.

This gave 157 parts of a liquid which, upon fractional distillation at atmospheric pressure, gave off a mixture of unreacted orthoformate and unreacted ketone, leaving behind 26 parts of a colorless, water-like liquid which was a substantially pure compound having the structure 0 CCliF HaCO-C-COCH3 lFzcl Analysis.Calcd.: C, 24.9; H, 2.1; F, 19.7; Cl, 36.7. Found: C, 24.9; H, 2.1; F, 19.7; C1, 36.8.

Example 3 1,3-dichlorotetrafiuoroacetone (129.4 parts, 0.64 mole) and triethylorthoformate (29.6 parts, 0.2 mole) were thoroughly mixed, placed in a bomb and heated at 175 C. for six hours.

This gave 154 parts of a liquid which, upon fractional distillation, gave off a mixture of the unreacted starting materials, leaving behind 20 parts of a water-like colorless liquid which was a substantially pure compound having the structure 0 CFiCl HsCgO-C-C-OCnHs CFsCl This compound had a boiling point of 172 C. and gave the following analysis:

Analysis.Calcd.: C, 33.1; H, 3.6; CI, 19.5. Found: C, 32.7; H, 3.7; CI, 20.0.

3 A The following listed orthoformates can be used in plac of the triethylorthoformate used in Example 3, in the same molar quantities, to give the corresponding listed products:

Orthoformate Product OCH=-CH=CH, CF10] HC-OCHg-CH=CH: HzC=CHCHzO-CC-OCHr-OH==CH:

Similarly, the following ketones can be used in place of the 1,3-dichlorotetrafiuoroacetone used in Example 3,

in the same molar quantities, to give the corresponding listed products:

Ketone Product O C F C], CFClr-Ql-CgFs HC3O-I OC1H5 hFs O C F Cl; CFClz-CFa HsCzO--C-OCzHs O C F Cl: CFCI1PJ-C5F1I H5C:O-C-C0C1H5 aFu Example 4 A mixture of 200 parts (1.2 mole) of hexafluoroacetone and 59.2 parts (0.4 mole) of triethylorthoformate was heated at 250 C. for 6 hours in a bomb.

After the unreacted orthoformate and unreacted ketone were removed by distillation at atmospheric pressure, the residue was fractionally distilled to give 80.0 parts of a colorless liquid, having a boiling point of 143 C. at 760 mm. of pressure and having the structure Analysis.Calcd.: C, 35.8; H, 3.8; F, 42.5. Found: C, 36.0; H, 4.1; F, 42.7.

The compounds of the invention wherein R is a higher alkyl radical or substituted alkyl radical are made as disclosed in the foregoing examples by merely making appropriate reactant substitutions.

I claim:

1. A compound of the formula 0 x Roi-LOB where X and Y are selected from the group consisting of perfluoroalkyl radicals of 1 through 5 carbon atoms, CFC1 radicals and CF Cl radicals; and R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 through 12 carbon atoms and alkyl radicals of 1 through 12 carbon atoms substituted with a member of the group consisting of CH=CH and CF;;.

2. A compound of the formula o 001,]? HsCzO-PF-C-OCgHs C FaCl 3. A compound of the formula 0 001,1 HaCO J JOCH| 4. A compound of the formula 0 CFzCl H5CloC-C0C5H5 C FaCl 5. A compound of the formula 0 CF: mom-r'i-d-mmm (IJF:

6. A process for the preparation of fluoro esters, said process comprising bringing together at least two moles of a fluoroketone of the formula 0 X-t'II-Y where X and Y are selected from the group consisting of perfiuoroalkyl radicals of 1 through 5 carbon atoms,

CFC1 radicals and -CF Cl radicals; and about one mole of an orthoformate of the structure where R is selected from the group consisting of alkyl radicals of 1 through 12 carbon atoms and alkyl radicals of 1 through 12 carbon atoms substituted with a radical selected from the group consisting of CH=CH and CF3! at a temperature of -250 C., for from about 6 to 20 hours, and then recovering the resulting fluoro ester from the reaction mass.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,593 7/1955 Brice et al. 260535 3,113,967 12/1963 Fawcett 260-544 3,250,807 5/1966 Fritz et al. 260-484 XR 3,304,322 2/1967 Mill et al. 260-535 OTHER REFERENCES Evlampiev, Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellshaft, vol. 62B, pp. 2386-9.

Pfeiifer et al., J. Am. Chem Soc., vol. 53, pp. 1043-8 1931 Post, I. Am. Chem Soc., vol. 55, pp. 4176-7 (1933).

Tatlow, Chem Ab., vol. 49, 2310f (1955).

LORRAINE A. WEINBERGER, Primary Examiner.

A. HALLUIN, Assistant Examiner. 

